About me 自己紹介

Over this weekend, I added more padded flat zipper pouches in my shop.﻿

Just like any other items sold in my shop, the 100% proceeds of these zipper pouches, less shipping and handling, will be donated to the American Red Cross Japan Relief fund.

I am thrilled to announce that I've raised $136 through my etsy sales toward the Japan Relief donation, in just one week so far!! Yay!! Arigato everyone!!

As mentioned earlier in this blog, I will continue to create and sell my handmade items until I reach my initial goal of $500 for Japan Relief, and I'm hoping to further increase my goal amount if all goes well :)

I can't thank enough to those of you who generously support my shop, and for all of you readers and my dear blog friends, who continue to encourage me in every way for my fundraising efforts. Thank you again!!

Also, I am very honored and blessed that many of my handmade pouches are featured in several Etsy Treasury lists. Etsy Treasury is a comprised list of items that are sold on etsy, curated by etsy members. What amazes me the most is that the etsy curators created these Treasury lists solely to promote sales of Japan Relief items, and they are not curated for profit making themselves.

For instance, my plaid bird coin purse is featured in "Relief for Japan" Treasury list...

The growing leaves padded long zipper pouch in espresso, is featured in the "Japan Still Needs Help" Treasury list...

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Both the colorful blocks padded zipper pouch and the pink girly Japanese print padded zipper pouch are featured in the "California Support for Japan" treasury list...

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I am so grateful for the kind and caring souls from around the globe, who selflessly trying to support Japan in the wake of the recent natural disaster and the ongoing nuclear plant crisis...

I still feel helpless and effortless for not being able to do as much as I want for my country, but with the support from everyone, I will continue to do what I can do now at this situation. For me, it is to make use of every little chunk of time that I can find during the day, to create and sew handmade items for fundraising purposes. The best thing about it is that making handmade items for this specific purpose really helps me to mend the sorrow and helplessness that I've been feeling, ever since that catastrophic earthquake struck Japan a few weeks ago...

Well, thank you for reading this longer-than-usual post, and hope you all have a wonderful week!

My sewing buddy (or my Brother machine) and I were sewing up a storm over the past weekend, making many, many zipper pouches like a maniac... I made ten of these flat zipper pouches, currently up for sale on my etsy shop.

Yes, I just reopened my shop! And I decided to donate 100% sales proceeds of these pouches, excluding shipping and handling, to the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Fund.

﻿The exterior of these pouches are made exclusively of Japanese imported cotton and cotton/linen blend. Each zipper pouch measures approximately 4 inches x 9.25 inches, or 10 cm x 23.5 cm in size. They are fully padded with fusible fleece batting.

As you can see, I attached a small wood bead using cotton cords, to the zipper pull of each pouch.

It's a good size to hold a cell phone, digital camera, and other gadgets...

Or to carry crochet hooks, a small pair of sissors, and yarn needles in one place...

Initially, I made these key fobs to donate entirely to my friend's upcoming fundraising event, but I learned that there are still a couple more weeks until the event. So, I decided to sell these online for now.

(I will make more for my friend's fundraising event later).

Just like the flat zipper pouches, I will donate 100% proceeds of these wristlet key fobs (excluding shipping & handling), to the American Red Cross Japan Relief Fund.

My goal is to raise and donate $500 proceeds to the American Red Cross, through my creations. So wish me luck on sales of these items, and more creations to come!
Thank you for reading and hope all is well for my dear fellow crafters and blogger friends :)

Ever since the catastrophic earthquake struck Japan one week from today, I had been so worried and depressed, feeling helpless and powerless, thinking about the people in Japan and the continuing concern over the nuclear crisis.

Then, my girlfriend contacted me recently to let me know about the fundraiser that she is planning to have to help the recent quake/tsunami victims of Japan.

Without any doubt, I immediately decided to join the fundraiser, and last night I made these keyfobs, or wristlet keyholders, for donation.

I plan to make more items and to donate the entire proceeds to the fundraiser. At the same time, I decided to reopen my etsy shop soon to list more handmade items to donate the proceeds to the charity.

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What I can do now for the quake/tsunami victims is very small, but I hope that I can at least do something and not just to sit around and watch the news crying... :(

Thank you very much for reading, and please continue to join me to pray for Japan... Thank you.

As you already know, Japan was recently struck by a most powerful earthquake in the recorded history of the nation, followed by killer tsunamis, leaving thousands already reported dead and even more people missing. At this moment, there are a very serious concern about the nuclear radiation exposure in the area, also.

During this very difficult time, I would like to thank every one of you who contacted me about the well being of my family members relating to the earthquake. My family members live in Tokyo and Nagoya, and my husband's family also lives near Tokyo, which are all quite away from the epicenter of the recent quake. I am grateful to let you know that all of the family members of myself and my husband's are safe.

And I'd also like to send a big thank you to all of you out there who has sent prayers to the recent earthquake and the tsunami victims in my home country, Japan.

For me, it's very hard to cope with this tragedy living away from my country. I cannot stop thinking about the quake and the tsunami victims of Japan, and the ongoing uncertainty and fear of the nuclear plant disaster over there. I normally almost never watch T.V., but right now, I just cannot stop myself from watching the news about Japan whenever I'm home. (In our house, we can view NHK, or Japan's largest broadcast station, to get more detailed information).

Meanwhile, I had been busy with my kids health issues (they're getting better now), and my work (the tax deadlines!!), and I just couldn't find time and energy to update my blog, which may have added concern to some of you nice readers/friends about my family's situation in Japan. Thank you very much for caring about us, always.

Although the death toll and the scope of destruction seems to mount every day in Japan... I still feel that the Japanese people can overcome this serious disaster and to eventually rebuild the country, with strong will and wisdom, and with the support from people around the world.